Phalaenopsis orchid plant named &#39;Honeymoon&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘Honeymoon’ particularly characterized by flowers which are white with some yellow and red/purple in the labellum; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Phalaenopsis hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Honeymoon’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Honeymoon’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Honeymoon’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventor, Rene Schoone, in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Phalaenopsis cultivar particularly characterized by its attractive and unique colored flowers, economical propagation via tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Honeymoon’ originated from a cross made by the inventor in 2000 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The female or seed parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘amabilis’, unpatented. The male or pollen parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Hawaiian Pearl’, unpatented. The new Phalaenopsis ‘Honeymoon’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2008 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phalaenopsis cultivar by tissue culture was first performed in July, 2008 in Cieweg 13, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar asexually reproduces true-to-type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘Honeymoon’, which in combination distinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. flowers which are white with some yellow and red/purple in the labellum;

2. plant produces more than one inflorescence;

3. plants may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture;

4. inflorescences are long and sturdy; and

5. relatively short, dark-green foliage.

In comparison with the parental cultivars of ‘Honeymoon’, the female parent ‘amabilis’ has white flowers and are about 7 cm in size. The male parent ‘Hawaiian Pearl’ has white flowers and are about 12 cm in size, whereas the flowers of ‘Honeymoon’ are white and are about 10 cm in size.

Presently, there is no commercial cultivar to which ‘Honeymoon’ can be meaningfully compared.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phalaenopsis ‘Honeymoon’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘Honeymoon’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of ‘Honeymoon’ in a 12 cm pot, at 16 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the typical buds and flowers of ‘Honeymoon’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the typical leaves of ‘Honeymoon’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘Honeymoon’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘Honeymoon’ as grown in a greenhouse in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Initially, the ideal temperature to grow plants of ‘Honeymoon’ is 27° C. during the day and at night. Then, during the flowering phase of ‘Honeymoon’, the ideal growing temperature is 20-22° C. during the day and 18° C. at night. Light levels for growing ‘Honeymoon’ are a minimum of 5,000 lux and a maximum of 10,000 lux. A balanced fertilizer with level of 200 ppm N, 87 ppm P, 168 ppm K is applied. Duration of growth of ‘Honeymoon’ from potting size is between 10 and 14 months.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions at approximately noon in Zaandammerweg, Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age of the ‘Honeymoon’ plants described is 12 months after potting.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrid -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘amabilis’, unpatented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Hawaiian Pearl’, unpatented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—tissue culture.         -   Rooting habit and description.—Fleshy; approximately 4 mm-8             mm wide and greyed-green/green in color (RHS 190B and in the             pot RHS 137B); freely branching. It takes 12 weeks for             plants growing in tissue culture to initiate roots. -   Plant:     -   -   Size at maturity.—Height: about 60 to 70 cm Spread: about 40             to 60 cm.         -   Growth habit.—normal; green leaves (RHS N137B) and a             relatively large raceme.         -   Vigor.—moderate.         -   Crop time.—Following asexual propagation, at about 26 weeks             2 leaves appear; at about 30 weeks 3-4 leaves appear; after             a cold treatment of about 4-8 weeks at a temperature of             about 19° C. about 2 peduncles with flowers appear. -   Foliage:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 6 to 8 leaves are produced before             flowering.         -   Arrangement and attachment.—half up/horizontal and on two             sides.         -   Overall shape of leaf.—oval, the tip is blunt and             asymmetric.         -   Texture (upper & underside).—smooth and leathery.         -   Pubescence.—none.         -   Mature leaf length.—about 10 to 20 cm.         -   Mature leaf width.—about 6 to 9 cm.         -   Mature leaf thickness.—about 2 mm.         -   Mature leaf color (upper surface).—green (RHS N137B).         -   Mature leaf color (under surface).—green (RHS 138A).         -   Leaf base.—acute.         -   Margin.—entire.         -   Venation.—Pattern: parallel Color of midvein: upper surface:             green (RHS N137B) Under surface: green (RHS 138C and some             RHS 137B). -   Raceme:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—about 1 to 3.         -   Number of flowers per raceme.—about 8 to 14.         -   Length.—about 59 cm.         -   Diameter.—about 4 to 6 mm.         -   Strength.—strong.         -   Aspect.—upright.         -   Texture.—glabrous and smooth.         -   Color.—green (RHS 137B).         -   Internode.—Length: about 35 to 45 mm. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—upright to slightly pendant, racemose             inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open             in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.         -   Buds.—Height (from base to tip): about 23 mm Diameter (at             midpoint): about 21 mm Shape: oval with a rounding on the             side Color: green (RHS 141C) with some RHS 142A.         -   Flowering time.—For an untreated plant (flowering plant that             has not undergone cold-treatment where the plant grows at a             temperature of 18° C. to 19° C. for about 4 to 8 weeks after             a period of about 30 weeks at a temperature of 25° C.), 2             racemes appear with about 16 to 20 flower buds and flowers             per inflorescence. First flowers can be expected             approximately 4 to 6 months after planting a plant with a             leaf diameter of 3 to 5 cm. Flowers persistent.         -   Flowering longevity.—On the plant: about 4 to 6 months;             lastingness of cut flowers: has not been observed.         -   Fragrance.—no fragrance.         -   Flower.—Rate of opening: Flowers fully opened about 2 to 3             days after petal and sepal separation. Orientation at             opening: slanted upward and outward. Shape: Typical shape of             phalaenopsis orchid, see FIG. 2 Size: Height: about 7 to 10             cm Diameter: about 7 to 10 cm Depth of tube: about 16 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: six petals that are             trimerous, overlapping and arranged in 2 whorls. Petals are             more pronounced than sepals Arrangement: Inner whorl of             petals comprises 3 petals, 2 lateral petals and labellum. 2             lateral petals: Overall shape: broadly ovate and weakly             cupped Apex: round with a notch Margin: entire and weakly             undulate Base: broadly ovate Length: about 51 mm Width:             about 42 mm Texture: Upper surface: smooth and satiny Under             surface: smooth and satiny Color (when fully opened) upper             and under surface: white (RHS NN155D) Labellum: Overall             shape: 3-lobed with 2 prominent callosities at central             junction of the lateral lobes and base of the midlobe.             Lateral lobes of labellum fold upward about the column; the             midlobe extends forward and is terminated by 2 short stubs             appendages at the apex. Lateral lobes of the labellum are             ovate in shape while the midlobe is triangular with a bump             and a rib on it Margin: entire and weakly undulate Apex:             oval Length: about 25 mm Width (not flattened): about 24 mm             Texture: Upper & under surface: smooth and satiny Color             (when fully opened): Midlobe: upper surface: white (RHS             NN155D). At the base in the center and in the corners             yellow/green (RHS 1B). At the base a small edge RHS N170B             and a purple haze (RHS N78B). Under surface: At the base in             the center and in the corners some yellow/green (RHS 1B). At             the upper edges a small line RHS N170B. Lateral lobes: upper             surface: white (RHS NN155D). Lower edge is yellow (RHS 3A).             At the base some red/purple stripes (RHS 58A). Under             surface: white (RHS NN155D). Lower edge is yellow (RHS 3A)             Chirri: about 27 mm (long and wavy) Color: yellow (RHS 2B)             Pestle (Callosities): Length: about 5 mm Width (not             flattened): about 8 mm Color: yellow (RHS 2B) with             grey/orange spots (RHS N170A).         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Outer whorl of petals comprises 3             sepals. Overall shape: egg-shaped Length: about 47 mm Width:             about 35 mm Margin: entire and weakly undulate Apex: oval             with a notch Texture: Upper & under surface: smooth and             satiny Color (when fully opened): Upper surface: Dorsal:             white (RHS NN155D). Lateral: white (RHS NN155D) with at the             base a red/purple mark (RHS 70B). Under surface: Dorsal &             lateral: white (RHS NN155D) with a very light green/yellow             haze (RHS 150C). Some also have a light purple haze (RHS             77B). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a             single, short structure called the column, possessing one             terminal anther with pollen grains united into a pollinia,             which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located             under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior             with three carpels present. The plant has not produced seed.         -   Column.—Length: about 9 mm Diameter: about 6 mm Color: white             (RHS NN155D).         -   Pollinia.—Quantity: two Size: about 1 mm Color: orange (RHS             N25C).         -   Ovary.—Length: about 2 mm Diameter: about 1 mm Color: white             (RHS NN155D).         -   Pedicel.—Length: about 36 to 45 mm Diameter: about 5 to 3 mm             Texture: glabrous and smooth Color: from the flower white             (RHS N155D) with a purple haze (RHS 77B) which runs into             yellow/green (RHS 144B). -   Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of about 15° C.     and to a high temperature about 30° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Honeymoon’, as illustrated and described herein. 